Well..... prior to having a dog with skin issues..... I only bathed my dogs when they got like filthy dirty, or if they stunk. If they look fine and smell fine no need to bathe them. Anymore than twice a month or so and you risk drying up their natural oils.

Most dogs with skin/allergy issues require much more frequent bathing at some point in their lives or throughout, but otherwise, go with when they look and feel or smell like they need it

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Golden, Labradork and Pit/Lab once in the summer. Ms. Darlene Linguine (Pit) finds skunky smelling crap to roll in so she gets it "as needed".

When dogs are in kennel (usually once a year) they offer to wash them before they get picked up. Golden and Labradork have "issues" with being touched, so they don't get professionally washed there. I just hose them off after the kennel visit.

Inara had a flea dip this past winter, but other than that it had easily been 1 1/2 or 2 years since she got a bath. She just doesn't smell, and even if she gets filthy her coat is white and shiny again within minutes. It's actually quite amazing.

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

I don't have any set time schedule either. When she's dirty or stinks is my tell tale as well (or rolls in pooh or dead thing of course). Since she has some sort of weird stain on her head right now and her lower body is looking dingy, that shall be this wekend!!!

Same as the above-- only when they get into something particularly stinky. When River swims in the pond, she gets at least a wipe with those disposable bathing wipes and an oxy pad around her whiskers-- she's ended up with staph infection in her whisker follicle from dirty water at the dog park. Robin likes to weasel her way into the compost, so she's "as needed." Simon gets about one a year; that double-coat is amazing.

"In these bodies, we will live; in these bodies we will die.Where you invest your love, you invest your life." --Marcus Mumford

I used to bathe Xander and Ripley a LOT (2-4 x per month) because they were really, really, really active therapy dogs...(visits/demos 4-5x per week).

Now...they only get bathed when they need one...as most everyone said. A couple of times a year, I'd say...my Inara likes to soak in the baby pools, and will develop a stank from those...so she gets bathed when she gets the mildewy smell. I bath my puppies/young dogs more frequently, just so they get accustomed to it, and don't freak out.

My fosters, rarely if ever get bathed...I just realized that I've never given Oreo a bath (she's been here over 6 months)...and she's going to meet her potential new owners on Monday night...guess it's time for her first bath!

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

LMM wrote:and she's going to meet her potential new owners on Monday night...guess it's time for her first bath!

Yes, wash her up! That will help her chances! I know after I wash my dog, I can't keep my hands off her! She's so soft and smells good! I think thats why she cooperates in the bath tub, she knows she gonna get lots of lovin' afterwards!

Noel, you use the "shampooch" from Chagrin Valley Soap, right? I saw a review on there from somebody with a service dog named Birdie and figured it was you. They're located about 35 minutes from me so I went out there a couple weeks ago and got some stuff for me as well as the Cedarwood/Lavendar soap for Inara because it's supposed to keep the bugs away. I can't wait to try it on her as I ADORE their human soaps and lip balms.

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

pitbullmamaliz wrote:Noel, you use the "shampooch" from Chagrin Valley Soap, right? I saw a review on there from somebody with a service dog named Birdie and figured it was you. They're located about 35 minutes from me so I went out there a couple weeks ago and got some stuff for me as well as the Cedarwood/Lavendar soap for Inara because it's supposed to keep the bugs away. I can't wait to try it on her as I ADORE their human soaps and lip balms.

Anyone tried the honey/oatmeal shampoo from them? The Wiener has itchy skin, but often needs a bath due to his 'houndy" odor (can't be an effective gigolo with BO). I'm tempted to try a sample bar for him...(and perhaps buy some yummy soaps for me in the process!)

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Honestly Erin, I'd go for the full-size bar for him. Their stuff is soooooo soothing and well made. And definitely get some yummy soaps for you! I've tried the Sweet Basil (very warm and spicy smelling - LOVE IT) and just got in the Chocolate Orange Twist, Sunflower something or other (one of their seasonal soaps), and the organic Coconut Cream & Shea. I've also tried one of their organic lip balms which is lovely, but has a tendency to melt super easily so I keep it in the fridge. I actually used Inara's cedarwood and lavendar soap this morning because it's supposed to help act as a natural anti-bug thing and I'm tired of being eaten alive when I go outside. And it smells good.

pitbullmamaliz wrote:Noel, you use the "shampooch" from Chagrin Valley Soap, right? I saw a review on there from somebody with a service dog named Birdie and figured it was you. They're located about 35 minutes from me so I went out there a couple weeks ago and got some stuff for me as well as the Cedarwood/Lavendar soap for Inara because it's supposed to keep the bugs away. I can't wait to try it on her as I ADORE their human soaps and lip balms.

Yep! That's me! I love love love LOVE <3 <3 their soaps, for both humans and dogs. I swear by their soaps for all of us. I am allergic to sulfates used in regular soaps, plus they dry the hell out of your skin. Gremlin hasn't had a flair up of her eczema since we started using CV soaps & body butter bars. Ida's soaps rock my world.

I use both the cedarwood & lavender as well as the oats & honey Shampooch bars on Birdie. Gremlin really likes the cedarwood & lavender soap a lot in the summer time.

Liz try the Bug Bee Wear lotion bars on this page for the buggies. I haven't ordered this for myself yet because I still have some bars left, but I used my friend's when we were out with our dogs and it worked great until I sweated it off. It took a lot more sweat and dog spit to get it off than the stuff I usually use. http://www.chagrinvalleysoapandcraft.com/lotbar.htm

TheRedQueen wrote:Anyone tried the honey/oatmeal shampoo from them? The Wiener has itchy skin, but often needs a bath due to his 'houndy" odor (can't be an effective gigolo with BO). I'm tempted to try a sample bar for him...(and perhaps buy some yummy soaps for me in the process!)

Birdie has sensitive itchy skin too so I highly recommend these soaps. She used to lick and lick and lick herself, itch like crazy, roll around on the rugs endlessly, chewed her legs above her doggie wrists raw. Once we changed her diet and threw away all the regular dog soap, the itching went away & she was calmer.

A few times after training, she was FILTHY, so I used regular dog soap on her & regretted it because she started to itch again. I now keep a bar in a soap case thing in my dog bag that lives in my truck.

Buy a full bar of each and save yourself from having to make a second order. And I second what Liz said, order yourself some goodies too.

I don't use ANYTHING with sulfates (soap, shampoo, hand soap etc.) in it and it has made a huge difference in my skin. The dermatologist told me that I have the skin of someone in their early 20's and I am 38 years old.

Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men ~ General George S. Patton, Jr.

She taking all the stars down from her sky to hang them up someplace new, where there's better weather and the sky's a different blue. ~ Autumn Fields

There's just something about naked-lacking-in-undercoat dogs. Seth gets smelly really fast. I promised my roommates my dogs were clean and well behaved. I bathe them every other week, sometimes once a week depending on how smelly they are. Bathing often isn't necessarily good for the skin, but my dogs haven't had any problems being bathed regularly I think as long as you use a quality dog shampoo it doesn't matter how often you do it. The groomer at work uses Isle of Dog products so that's what I use on them.

Dottie get's a bath once a month, at the beginning of the month when she get's her heart worm med. I use to go twice a month to the groomers, now Earl gives her, her bath, she always seemed so upset when we'd take her to the groomers, we use oatmeal shampoo on her.

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry